International BusinessNo second term for Rajnath
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) today obtained a commitment from the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) warring leaders that they would stop their infighting even as moves were initiated for a major overhaul of the party’s top brass, which will see the exit of Rajnath Singh as party president in the next three months and likely stepping down of L K Advani as leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
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Camping in the national capital for the past several days, RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat today had a breakfast meeting with Advani, which appeared to be a balancing act after his lunch yesterday with another BJP veteran and Advani rival, Murli Manohar Joshi. Advani had met Bhagwat yesterday also.
The idea of 81-year-old Advani quitting the top party post in Parliament is supposed to have evolved at the series of RSS-BJP meetings. The move could trigger a chain of changes in the party’s top leadership with a focus on bringing younger leaders to top positions.
Advani’s gesture, according to sources, would facilitate the smooth generational changes in the party that is heading for organisational elections by the year-end.
Advani’s current deputy Sushma Swaraj is among the front-runners to replace him. He may be accommodated in a new position possibly as chairman of the BJP-led NDA, a post currently held by ailing Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
For Rajnath Singh, the day’s developments came as a damper for his ambition of another term as the party president. BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said Singh would not get another term as the party’s constitution does not allow it. “Here only one term is given, so there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind about this..... In every three years, elections are held (to choose a new president).”
Rajnath’s term is due to end in December.
The finale of the three-day consultations was held at Advani’s residence where Bhagwat with his lieutenants, Madan Das Devi and Suresh Soni, drove this morning.
Breaking Sangh’s silence on what was going on in these meetings at RSS headquarters here for two days, Devi said: “The RSS is assured that the BJP leadership will stand united and face the present situation, and will overcome all the problems and emerge stronger.”
For the record, Javadekar and senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters separately that Advani would continue to lead the party.